Happy Saturday to you all. Sounds like at least some of you are having well deserved, really good weather.
We worked on our classes all morning and the decided to get out and about. We had several errands to run, including paying the bill for Lithuanian class. We had to pay it with cash into a university account at a certain bank. I don't think we are getting any discount.
Then, strange as it may sound, Klaipeda University does not sell everything that can be embroidered or printed or painted with the University logo. Our Lithuanian teacher was kind enough to do some research and found out that we could buy things at the mall, so off we went a hunting. We must be getting accustomed to negative windchills. It could also be that after spending years in houses, a one bedroom flat with small living room-kitchen combination can begin to feel a tad small. We eventually found the small store, after making a complete circle of the mall, and picked out the designs we wanted printed on the shirts. I'll pick them up on Wed. after class. Del also managed to find a dress shirt, and I found broccoli and zuchinni at the Hyper Maxima. We also needed to go to the book store to get an English/Lithuanian Dictionary to go with our phrasebooks
It's kind of funny. I have been to the mall here more than I did all last year in Georgia, and Del has been more than he did in the last 2-3 years combined. My little shopper.
We also found a hamburger stand in the mall and had "linner" as Del calls it. I can't say as the burger killed my beef craving because the huge amount of mayonaise on it masked the taste, and dripped all over the place. It looked like Del's dad had been in charge. That man loved the stuff. We added mustard, which probably made it taste even more like a condiment sandwich. I now know how to say "well done", however, so we may eventually give the steak house a try. It was interesting to see that Hesburger had a vegetarian option that looked like a deviled egg with french fries and drink, so vegetarianism must be quite common. Whenever we go out to eat with other people, someone asks if we are vegetarian.
Oh, I forgot to mention that we learned a bit of etiquette in L Class that would have been helpful when we went to the 20th anniversary celebration. In this country, people don't just get a drink, have a little toast and drink it at will. Everyone in your group is supposed to sip at the same time, each time. I didn't quite understand how they time and choreograph this but I will certainly watch carefully for signaling behaviors next time we drink in public. I suppose that at a large party the group would just be the couple of people you are actually talking with at a particular time. That was not brought up at orientation.
Only one burst of fireworks tonight, and we couldn't see them from the window. Too late and too cold to go out in our pajamas.
Have a good day off, if you have a day off.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Friday, February 18, 2011
Day 25 Lithuanian Class & Unplanned Walk
Today was Lithuanian Class. I think I must have been having language anxiety last night because I had the strangest dreams, even for me. Some of you may remember that Del asked me to stop telling him details about my dreams after I dreamed that we had dinner at Quincy Jones' California beach house and described both the kitchen and the food in boring detail. He claimed that was just too much. He is probably just jealous because he doesn't remember dreams, and I dream in vivid color. Last night was one of those where I would wake up and think that my dream was rediculous and go beck to sleep and pick right up where I left off.
Fortunately, we left early for our noon class, because we took the wrong bus and then got disoriented and ended up walking almost back home before two students got us pointed in the right direction for the bus stop. This time we took the right bus and got to class only a few minutes late. Yes, I did have a map, but I am illiterate, and Del chose not to look at it. What a pair we are. Just when I was feeling that I might be developing a glimmer of sense of direction. That extra 30 min. fast paced walk in feels like 2 degrees F. left us feeling a combination of way too cold hands, face and feet and sweaty bodies and heads. Not to mention being out of breath by the time we walked up to the third floor classroom, plus the stairs from the ground level. Once again, we were at the bottom of the class, but we remembered more than I thought we would. I should mention that it took me two hours to do only fair on my written homework. Del - not so long, seeing as he benefited from my efforts. That's all I'm saying about that.
After class we took the correct bus and stopped for lunch at a neat place near the bus stop. Del had hot wings with potatoes and a little salad, and I had soup of the day and calamari with delicious sauce - rather tart with lemon, thyme and something to make it pinkish. It had a paper thin slice of dried or baked lemon for garnish that was crunchy and puckery. The soup was curried chicken with yellow curry. It was quite good.
We got home around 3, did a little work and then claimed our favorite napping places for an hour- bed for Del and on the sofa with EHJ on my chest for me. I should have put my Lithuanian notes there in hopes of absorbing knowledge. Of course, it never worked at Westhampton.
Dinner was a slice of pork roast, left over rice and cabbage salad. I have to get the neighbors to show me how to work the oven properly. Did I tell you that the eyes are gas and the oven electric? You can't just turn on the oven and expect it to work. You must need to set the clock and timer before you turn it on and since the clock is not set, and we can't figure out how to do it, I cooked the roast by 15 minute intervals. For some reason, it would let me add 15 minutes time, but no more. Then when I turned the oven off, it pinged every few seconds for almost an hour, or forever, if you were here listening to it. I don't know what made it start the noise or what made it stop. There are all sorts of intereasting symbols on the oven dial, but I didn't recognize them. I settled on the one that turned on the oven light and sounded like a fan running while it was working. For one thing, it let me know when it needed to have another 15 min. punched in.
After a steady diet of chicken, fish and pork since we got here, I am beginning to feel a craving for beef. I think it may be because I haven't seen it in the nearby markets and it isn't so common in restaurants. There is an Argentinian steak house in the neighborhood that smells really good whenever we walk past it. Actually, I probably should take the bus out to the local McDonald's for a burger because I don't know how I would explain to a server that I want my steak so well done that nobody would eat it but me. I'd better stick to cooking my own eggs for that same reason.
Happy Weekend to all. Monday is a holiday for most of you who are too young to retire, isn't it?
Just opened the window to let in a little -2 degree windchill fresh air and saw the full moon. It is so beautiful shining through the haze.
Fortunately, we left early for our noon class, because we took the wrong bus and then got disoriented and ended up walking almost back home before two students got us pointed in the right direction for the bus stop. This time we took the right bus and got to class only a few minutes late. Yes, I did have a map, but I am illiterate, and Del chose not to look at it. What a pair we are. Just when I was feeling that I might be developing a glimmer of sense of direction. That extra 30 min. fast paced walk in feels like 2 degrees F. left us feeling a combination of way too cold hands, face and feet and sweaty bodies and heads. Not to mention being out of breath by the time we walked up to the third floor classroom, plus the stairs from the ground level. Once again, we were at the bottom of the class, but we remembered more than I thought we would. I should mention that it took me two hours to do only fair on my written homework. Del - not so long, seeing as he benefited from my efforts. That's all I'm saying about that.
After class we took the correct bus and stopped for lunch at a neat place near the bus stop. Del had hot wings with potatoes and a little salad, and I had soup of the day and calamari with delicious sauce - rather tart with lemon, thyme and something to make it pinkish. It had a paper thin slice of dried or baked lemon for garnish that was crunchy and puckery. The soup was curried chicken with yellow curry. It was quite good.
We got home around 3, did a little work and then claimed our favorite napping places for an hour- bed for Del and on the sofa with EHJ on my chest for me. I should have put my Lithuanian notes there in hopes of absorbing knowledge. Of course, it never worked at Westhampton.
Dinner was a slice of pork roast, left over rice and cabbage salad. I have to get the neighbors to show me how to work the oven properly. Did I tell you that the eyes are gas and the oven electric? You can't just turn on the oven and expect it to work. You must need to set the clock and timer before you turn it on and since the clock is not set, and we can't figure out how to do it, I cooked the roast by 15 minute intervals. For some reason, it would let me add 15 minutes time, but no more. Then when I turned the oven off, it pinged every few seconds for almost an hour, or forever, if you were here listening to it. I don't know what made it start the noise or what made it stop. There are all sorts of intereasting symbols on the oven dial, but I didn't recognize them. I settled on the one that turned on the oven light and sounded like a fan running while it was working. For one thing, it let me know when it needed to have another 15 min. punched in.
After a steady diet of chicken, fish and pork since we got here, I am beginning to feel a craving for beef. I think it may be because I haven't seen it in the nearby markets and it isn't so common in restaurants. There is an Argentinian steak house in the neighborhood that smells really good whenever we walk past it. Actually, I probably should take the bus out to the local McDonald's for a burger because I don't know how I would explain to a server that I want my steak so well done that nobody would eat it but me. I'd better stick to cooking my own eggs for that same reason.
Happy Weekend to all. Monday is a holiday for most of you who are too young to retire, isn't it?
Just opened the window to let in a little -2 degree windchill fresh air and saw the full moon. It is so beautiful shining through the haze.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Day 24 Post 2 Afternoon at the Akropolus
If you read the Independence Day post before I corrected it, the 16th was independence after WW1, not from theSoviets. That will come in March. Sorry I passed on incorrect info. Del read on the web that the Lithuanian community in Atlanta celebrated in a pub in Alpharetta. Maybe they will let us come next year.
Today was Del's teaching day and my day to tour the mall to see what I could see. My main reason for going was to visit the Walmart equivalent (Hyper Maxima) for a replacement alarm clock. The first one we bought was not intended to survive being violently swept off the night stand at 5 in the AM - my getting up time on teaching day. I bought a new one that even talks, in English yet, but when I got home, I discovered that the directions are written in 5 languages, none of them English. I figured out how to set the time, and we thought Del had the alarm set, but he must have asked it to announce the time on the hour. So far it has spoken at 6, 7 and 8. In just a minute or two we will know if it is also going to tell us it is 9 o'clock. We know that it's common for people to use their cell phones as alarm clocks, and that's what we have done for the last few days, but it just doesn't feel right. The clock just announced the hour, by the way. We may have to take it to Lithuanian class to get the instructor to tell us how to work it. How is it that doing what seem like simple mechanical tasks is not simple? We checked the internet, but surprise, surprise, I bought the on sale brand, and the web never heard of it.
My other reason for going was to look for an electric toothbrush. My gums will not hold up for four more months of my overly enthuastic scrubbing with the person powered kind. They didn't have them at Hyper Maxima so I made my first visit to the drug store. Success! After 24 hours of charging, I will have happy gums. It was amazing how many products might have come from the shelves of Walgreens or CVS. I'll have to make another trip (when I'm not carrying a Rick Steves day pack full of wine and rum and 2 bags of other things from the Maxima, just to sight see. Our kitchen has an odd assortment of things, but nothing to cook a hunk of meat or a casserole in. I also need to buy soup bowls, but my arms were full. Priorities.
I got to the bus stop just as my bus pulled up. Yea! It was full, so I practiced keeping my balance while carrying my hiking stick, two large reusable grocery bags and my Rick Steves bag. One teenaged boy was nearly crushed after I stumbled back into him as the bus pulled away from the stop before I got hold of a pole, but only one, and he seemed nice about it.
It had only warmed up to feels like 2 degrees by the time I got home, so I pulled bean soup from the freezer and served it with tortilla chips to warm us up. Yum! Because we regulate the temperature in the flat by opening and closing the windows, however, by the time Del got home and the soup was hot, it was stiffling in here so we ate it in front of an open window. Sure am glad the heat is included with the rent.
Time to study for Lithuanian class tomorrow. I got to practice one phrase we learned on Friday quite a bit today. It translates to "Sorry, I don't understand."
Today was Del's teaching day and my day to tour the mall to see what I could see. My main reason for going was to visit the Walmart equivalent (Hyper Maxima) for a replacement alarm clock. The first one we bought was not intended to survive being violently swept off the night stand at 5 in the AM - my getting up time on teaching day. I bought a new one that even talks, in English yet, but when I got home, I discovered that the directions are written in 5 languages, none of them English. I figured out how to set the time, and we thought Del had the alarm set, but he must have asked it to announce the time on the hour. So far it has spoken at 6, 7 and 8. In just a minute or two we will know if it is also going to tell us it is 9 o'clock. We know that it's common for people to use their cell phones as alarm clocks, and that's what we have done for the last few days, but it just doesn't feel right. The clock just announced the hour, by the way. We may have to take it to Lithuanian class to get the instructor to tell us how to work it. How is it that doing what seem like simple mechanical tasks is not simple? We checked the internet, but surprise, surprise, I bought the on sale brand, and the web never heard of it.
My other reason for going was to look for an electric toothbrush. My gums will not hold up for four more months of my overly enthuastic scrubbing with the person powered kind. They didn't have them at Hyper Maxima so I made my first visit to the drug store. Success! After 24 hours of charging, I will have happy gums. It was amazing how many products might have come from the shelves of Walgreens or CVS. I'll have to make another trip (when I'm not carrying a Rick Steves day pack full of wine and rum and 2 bags of other things from the Maxima, just to sight see. Our kitchen has an odd assortment of things, but nothing to cook a hunk of meat or a casserole in. I also need to buy soup bowls, but my arms were full. Priorities.
I got to the bus stop just as my bus pulled up. Yea! It was full, so I practiced keeping my balance while carrying my hiking stick, two large reusable grocery bags and my Rick Steves bag. One teenaged boy was nearly crushed after I stumbled back into him as the bus pulled away from the stop before I got hold of a pole, but only one, and he seemed nice about it.
It had only warmed up to feels like 2 degrees by the time I got home, so I pulled bean soup from the freezer and served it with tortilla chips to warm us up. Yum! Because we regulate the temperature in the flat by opening and closing the windows, however, by the time Del got home and the soup was hot, it was stiffling in here so we ate it in front of an open window. Sure am glad the heat is included with the rent.
Time to study for Lithuanian class tomorrow. I got to practice one phrase we learned on Friday quite a bit today. It translates to "Sorry, I don't understand."
Day 24 Post 1 Del's Sweater Did Not Shrink In Vain
This post is for the crafty among you - handicrafty, not the other kind.
https://picasaweb.google.com/118279613107347865536/Sweater?authkey=Gv1sRgCJiTla3ZjqC20AE
Yesterday, I decided that I needed to throw away the shrunken sweater or do something with it. Inspired by David's efforts for the February Thing a Day Challenge, I decided to make lemonade, since I had already made the lemons. The attached pictures will show you how things turned out. Martha Stewart and her sort will not be knocking down my door begging me to design for them, but I had fun. Proof that it doesn't take much to entertain me.
First, Del's poor favorite $3 Donna Karan via Tallmadge Goodwill sweater after it dried. Following a suggestion from friend Tom of Tom and Sharon fame about providing suggestions of scale when I take pictures of things, I will give you some idea of the shrinkage. It went from being almost too big and slouchy on Del to 2 1/2 Earl Hamner Juniors long by 2 1/2 Earl Hamner Juniors wide. Who said a Kindle is only for reading? Why don't they mention it as a unit of measurement in their ads?
Off with the sleeves! With just a little evening up, they are now either leg warmers, wine bottle sweaters or arm warmers. I wore them with jeans as leg warmers yesterday. Deleted that picture somehow.
Cut bottom of sweater off just below arm holes and cut resulting tube into 2 tubes. Cut each tube so it was flat, leaving me with 2 thick scarves.
Cut the remaining piece down the middle front, cut off neck ribbing, because it did not felt well, and I had a shoulder cozy. I trimmed it up a bit to make it look a little better.
I still have the trimmings that can be turned into flowers or something - using everything but the squeal, you know. (Being in pork country has brought all sorts of pork terms to my mind.)
Granted, these garments are not going to win any prizes on the fashion runway, but they certainly do add a surprising amount of warmth under the down coats.
https://picasaweb.google.com/118279613107347865536/Sweater?authkey=Gv1sRgCJiTla3ZjqC20AE
Yesterday, I decided that I needed to throw away the shrunken sweater or do something with it. Inspired by David's efforts for the February Thing a Day Challenge, I decided to make lemonade, since I had already made the lemons. The attached pictures will show you how things turned out. Martha Stewart and her sort will not be knocking down my door begging me to design for them, but I had fun. Proof that it doesn't take much to entertain me.
First, Del's poor favorite $3 Donna Karan via Tallmadge Goodwill sweater after it dried. Following a suggestion from friend Tom of Tom and Sharon fame about providing suggestions of scale when I take pictures of things, I will give you some idea of the shrinkage. It went from being almost too big and slouchy on Del to 2 1/2 Earl Hamner Juniors long by 2 1/2 Earl Hamner Juniors wide. Who said a Kindle is only for reading? Why don't they mention it as a unit of measurement in their ads?
Off with the sleeves! With just a little evening up, they are now either leg warmers, wine bottle sweaters or arm warmers. I wore them with jeans as leg warmers yesterday. Deleted that picture somehow.
Cut bottom of sweater off just below arm holes and cut resulting tube into 2 tubes. Cut each tube so it was flat, leaving me with 2 thick scarves.
Cut the remaining piece down the middle front, cut off neck ribbing, because it did not felt well, and I had a shoulder cozy. I trimmed it up a bit to make it look a little better.
I still have the trimmings that can be turned into flowers or something - using everything but the squeal, you know. (Being in pork country has brought all sorts of pork terms to my mind.)
Granted, these garments are not going to win any prizes on the fashion runway, but they certainly do add a surprising amount of warmth under the down coats.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Day 23 Independence from Soviets -Error!! WW1 Independence Day
https://picasaweb.google.com/118279613107347865536/Feb16IndependenceDay?authkey=Gv1sRgCI2Ls7m9jOfegAE
Another cold day, but just before noon we heard drums, bundled up and rushed out to see if we could find an Independence Day celebration. We followed the sound and got there in time to see a good bit of the very short event. People were more serious than we are on the 4th, but there was lots of waving of small flags and balloons for the children. Del got some pretty good pictures there, and since we were already out in the feels like 0 degree F. cold, we decided we might as well walk around a little. We walked out to the channel that leads to the sea where Del took the pictures of the swans and boats. We also walked past the old theater where Hitler stood on the balcony to state that Klaipeda was reinstated into Germany.
Our next stop was the old market where we bought chicken, bacon and a small pork roast. They do not sell beef at the market. I don't think it is a big part of the Lithuanian diet.
The bacon man is accustomed to selling a hunk of bacon, but he sliced it into strips for me, while shaking his head about the whole thing. One thing I thought odd was that when I pointed to the bacon, he cut off a small sliver and offered it to me to try RAW. Needless to say, I declined.
After that, Del walked home, and I stopped by the little Iki to pick up a few things, so I was a few minutes behind him. After 3 1/2 hours out in the cold, it was time for coffee and a nap.
The chicken breasts were huge. I cooked 2 halves and we have one half left for lunch tomorrow. I served it with rice, zucchini and cabbage salad. I tried to imitate the salad we had at a restaurant the other day. The dressing was surprisingly close.
I had hoped there would be fireworks tonight, but not so far.
Sorry - Wrong info - Independence after WW1 Stay tuned for report on Soviet Independence Day when it actually occurs in March.
Another cold day, but just before noon we heard drums, bundled up and rushed out to see if we could find an Independence Day celebration. We followed the sound and got there in time to see a good bit of the very short event. People were more serious than we are on the 4th, but there was lots of waving of small flags and balloons for the children. Del got some pretty good pictures there, and since we were already out in the feels like 0 degree F. cold, we decided we might as well walk around a little. We walked out to the channel that leads to the sea where Del took the pictures of the swans and boats. We also walked past the old theater where Hitler stood on the balcony to state that Klaipeda was reinstated into Germany.
Our next stop was the old market where we bought chicken, bacon and a small pork roast. They do not sell beef at the market. I don't think it is a big part of the Lithuanian diet.
The bacon man is accustomed to selling a hunk of bacon, but he sliced it into strips for me, while shaking his head about the whole thing. One thing I thought odd was that when I pointed to the bacon, he cut off a small sliver and offered it to me to try RAW. Needless to say, I declined.
After that, Del walked home, and I stopped by the little Iki to pick up a few things, so I was a few minutes behind him. After 3 1/2 hours out in the cold, it was time for coffee and a nap.
The chicken breasts were huge. I cooked 2 halves and we have one half left for lunch tomorrow. I served it with rice, zucchini and cabbage salad. I tried to imitate the salad we had at a restaurant the other day. The dressing was surprisingly close.
I had hoped there would be fireworks tonight, but not so far.
Sorry - Wrong info - Independence after WW1 Stay tuned for report on Soviet Independence Day when it actually occurs in March.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Day 22 Cold, Cold, Cold!
We had to be out and about today, but when we saw the temp was 2 degrees F with a negative wind chill, we wimped out and took a taxi to our 10 o'clock appointment at the library at LCC, the college where all our neighbors and the people we go to church with are associated. It started 20 years ago as a language institute but is now a liberal arts college where everything is done in English. It is funded by several denominations, among them, the Mennonites, Presbyterians and Dutch Reformists. Most of the people who work there are responsible for finding sponsors to support them rather than being paid by the college. I have not heard them call it that, but it sounds like being a missionary to me. I certainly sense that most seem to look at their work more as a calling than a job. Some of the people we have met have been there for as much as nine years, some are actual volunteers for a semester or a summer and come without sponsorship. There are 650 students from various countries. One woman from Harrisonburg and two Lithuanian women from the library are in Del's class and invited him to visit. I tagged along because the word lunch was mentioned.
And what a lunch it was! The ladies introduced us to a warm and cozy restaurant called Bisquit. I love the spelling. All 5 of us chose the lunch special which included a large bowl of mushroom soup, broth style, not creamy, a cabbage salad, mashed potatoes, minced pork croquette sort of thing stuffed with finely chopped boiled egg and served with a thin cream sauce, bread to fight over and a traditional drink called compote. It was a glass of cold mixed fruit juices with some fruit floated in it. The primary flavor was pear, I think, It was a bit sweeter that I would have chosen, but the soup and lunch were delicious. My guess is that the croquette was poached, but I'm not sure. It was very delicate in texture. Del "cooked" for 5 of us for the grand sum of $35 plus tip. Who ever heard of such a thing? The young Lithuanian women and I grossed Del and Betsy, from Harrisonburg, out, discussing pork products they had eaten at grandparents' farms and that I had eaten at home. They even told me that what we call sause is readily available in the regular grocery. In fact, Del could have bought me some shaped like a heart for Valentine's Day. Nothing gets to your heart like pig parts jello. In more ways than one, I suppose.
Fortified by that good lunch, we decided to catch the bus home. It had warmed up to about -2 degrees wind chill by then but appeared warmer because of the bright sunshine. We had time for a cup of tea and last minute cramming before putting on an extra layer and catching the bus to our Lithuanian class. Neither of us shows promise for being the star pupil, but we will keep at it.
The class ended at 5 and by the time we got home from the bus stop, we agreed that today was the first time we were really miserably cold, despite looking like the little boy in The Christmas Story who had on so many clothes that when he fell, he could not get up. Del actually wore his hat and gloves with no nagging from you know who. I'm thinking 2 pairs of socks next time and some wool mittens over my leather gloves.
No teaching for me tomorrow - Independence from the Soviets Day. They have another Independence Day in March. I forget from whom. It sounds like a low key sort of celebration, but I'm hoping for fireworks.
Good night from the food, weather and fireworks obsessed person.
And what a lunch it was! The ladies introduced us to a warm and cozy restaurant called Bisquit. I love the spelling. All 5 of us chose the lunch special which included a large bowl of mushroom soup, broth style, not creamy, a cabbage salad, mashed potatoes, minced pork croquette sort of thing stuffed with finely chopped boiled egg and served with a thin cream sauce, bread to fight over and a traditional drink called compote. It was a glass of cold mixed fruit juices with some fruit floated in it. The primary flavor was pear, I think, It was a bit sweeter that I would have chosen, but the soup and lunch were delicious. My guess is that the croquette was poached, but I'm not sure. It was very delicate in texture. Del "cooked" for 5 of us for the grand sum of $35 plus tip. Who ever heard of such a thing? The young Lithuanian women and I grossed Del and Betsy, from Harrisonburg, out, discussing pork products they had eaten at grandparents' farms and that I had eaten at home. They even told me that what we call sause is readily available in the regular grocery. In fact, Del could have bought me some shaped like a heart for Valentine's Day. Nothing gets to your heart like pig parts jello. In more ways than one, I suppose.
Fortified by that good lunch, we decided to catch the bus home. It had warmed up to about -2 degrees wind chill by then but appeared warmer because of the bright sunshine. We had time for a cup of tea and last minute cramming before putting on an extra layer and catching the bus to our Lithuanian class. Neither of us shows promise for being the star pupil, but we will keep at it.
The class ended at 5 and by the time we got home from the bus stop, we agreed that today was the first time we were really miserably cold, despite looking like the little boy in The Christmas Story who had on so many clothes that when he fell, he could not get up. Del actually wore his hat and gloves with no nagging from you know who. I'm thinking 2 pairs of socks next time and some wool mittens over my leather gloves.
No teaching for me tomorrow - Independence from the Soviets Day. They have another Independence Day in March. I forget from whom. It sounds like a low key sort of celebration, but I'm hoping for fireworks.
Good night from the food, weather and fireworks obsessed person.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Day 21 Happy Valentine's Day
Hope you all have a happy Valentine's Day. Ours has been quiet. It was below zero windchill, so we just decided to stay home. ( It's up to 5 degrees F. now at 10:50 PM.) Del has lots of writing to do, and I used puff pastry to make goodies for the neighbors. I haven't figured out the names for baking powder and baking soda, so I didn't have the ingredients for baking. Plus, flour messes up the kitchen. One of the neighbors is going to email the names for common ingredients in case the mood strikes.
My special Valentine treat, however, was popcorn. It is not a common or popular snack here, so I was thrilled to find 2 packages at the Iki last week and put them away for a special occasion.
Today was also sheet washing day. That is a carefully thought out procedure since they have to be hung to dry. Our matress is actually 2 mattresses and the bottom sheets are great big old pillow cases, so what I do, is wash those on one half of the bed one day and then when they are dry, I wash the other side. It generally takes about 24 hours for them to dry. The drying rack folds out to more than 5 feet, and with a sheet on it looks like we have a hospital gurney (sp?) set up in the living room. Other than sheet days, I wash small loads and we can do all the drying in the bathroom and front hall closet, so it doesn't look so bad.
Off to study some more for Lithuanian class.
My special Valentine treat, however, was popcorn. It is not a common or popular snack here, so I was thrilled to find 2 packages at the Iki last week and put them away for a special occasion.
Today was also sheet washing day. That is a carefully thought out procedure since they have to be hung to dry. Our matress is actually 2 mattresses and the bottom sheets are great big old pillow cases, so what I do, is wash those on one half of the bed one day and then when they are dry, I wash the other side. It generally takes about 24 hours for them to dry. The drying rack folds out to more than 5 feet, and with a sheet on it looks like we have a hospital gurney (sp?) set up in the living room. Other than sheet days, I wash small loads and we can do all the drying in the bathroom and front hall closet, so it doesn't look so bad.
Off to study some more for Lithuanian class.
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